That meant the meeting wasn’t entirely about me. At least not for James and Thomas, but none of that mattered because my dad was here, and I’d get to spend a little more time with him before we’d have to say goodbye again.
My dad touched my back. “You okay with that?”
I nodded. “Of course. I’ll be fine.” I lifted up on my toes and kissed my dad’s cheek. “I kind of love this family,” I whispered. “They’re great people.”
My dad smiled down at me. “I’ve known James and Thomas for almost as long as you’ve been alive, and yes, sweetheart, they’re some of the best people.”
“How much longer until dinner, Ma?” James asked his mother-in-law.
“Twenty minutes, so make it snappy,” she told him, getting a nod in return.
“I love when she bosses him around,” Gigi said as she came to stand next to me. “He’s always so bossy with everyone else, and there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing him get a little of his own medicine.”
I laughed, knowing how she felt. “My dad’s crazy bossy too. It’s part of the male DNA.”
“The women in our family are fierce too, and from what I can tell, you fit right in.”
I turned, gawking at her. “We’re not dating, Gigi.”
She chuckled, shaking her head. “Not yet.”
I blinked with my mouth still hanging open.
“I see how he looks at you. It’s the same way his brother looked at me.”
“It’s not…”
“We’ll see who’s right,” she told me before walking off.
I stood there, watching her hair sway as she sauntered back to Pike and made herself comfortable between his legs again.
“You okay?” Austin asked as I stayed frozen.
I didn’t answer.
He touched my shoulder, brushing my hair back. “Mak, you okay?” he repeated.
“I’m great,” I whispered, blinking through the haze. “We were just having a little girl talk.”
“Oh, boy,” he muttered. “Those are never good.”
I gazed up at him, pushing away all the questions going through my mind. “What time are we heading back?” I asked, wondering how long we had to enjoy his family and my father.
“Not for a few hours. You don’t have to be at the ship tonight, do you?”
I shook my head, clearing it. “Duty isn’t until morning.”
“I’ll have you back in plenty of time to get some shut-eye.”
“Thanks, Austin.”
He touched my cheek, brushing his fingertips across my skin. “I’m the one who should be thanking you for coming here with me this weekend. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.”
I gazed into his eyes, seeing the way he studied me, knowing he looked at me like Pike stared at Gigi. “I’ll never forget this weekend. Never.”
He moved his fingers to my chin, and I held my breath, thinking he was going to kiss me. “Me either, darlin’,” he whispered before dropping his hand from my face.
Every time he called me darlin’, my insides would go all squishy. I’d never admit it, though. Not to him or anyone else for that matter. But it still happened. Add in the way he looked at me, how he touched me, and I was an absolute goner.
